Outlet-box.



' Patented Jan.. l, uml.l

J. FuuNTAm, n. OUTLET BOX. fAppimim med on. 21. 1990..

f2 Shanks- Sheet l.

(No Mqdel.)

wlTNE-ssEs vlNvENToR: .www FGUNTAHN @wie F I ATTORN nit mms Fsrrks ce.,wasnmcfogv. n. c.

No. 664,939. *Patented Jn. l, Ism.

FouuTAm, m.v

OUTLET BOX.

(Appuminn medoea. 21. 1960.; (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

mvENTon:

. ,al wlTNEssEs: v v A l l Fim JGHN-uwmw ATTORNEY flu: @alms Prrsns cmwAsumarmv, D. c.

I To @ZZ whom tima/y concern:

UNiTE JOHN FOUNTAIMJR., or nLizABE'rI-I, NEW-JERSEY;

' OUTLET-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofvneaelrs ,Patent No. 664,939, dated Januaryi, 190i.v l

Application iledctober 27, 1900- Serial No. 34,549.` (Nomaden Be itknown that I, JGHN FOUNTAIN, J n, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of4 New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Outlet-Boxes; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full,

' clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable'others skilled'in the art to `which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, andl tolettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification. i

This invention relates to improvements in outlet-boxes designed 4formaking connections l the workman can easily and quickly provide in theelectrical wiring of buildings; and my present invention hasfor ritsprimary object to provide a simple and novel construction of outlet-boxwhich is to be used as a fixturesupport in the side walls, partitions,and ceilings, the box being of suchV construction that the box either inits bottom or the sides with various openings for thereception andthedirect attachment thereto o f the gas or electric fixtures employed inthe construction oi buildings.

The principal objects of my invention are to vprovide a novelconstruction ofoutlet-box with a means of d-i-rect attachment to it ofgas or electric fixtures and also to so constructv the box that openingscan be readily made in the Lsame at various points as desired, therebyenabling the workman to make any combination required in placing theelectric conduit in the walls or other parts of a building, and alsotoso construct the box that it can be readily adapted for use withcombinationfixtures.

A further `object of this invention is to provide a box with one or moreopenings atthe time of placing it in position, as may be desired, thebox being convenient in use and easily secured in 'fixed position andavoiding all danger of accidental' leaks or electrical grounds. f

f My invention therefore consists in the novel construction ofoutlet-boxhereinalter firlly described, in which the bottom or sides ofthei' readily7 broken away at the pointdesired to provide the box with.one orinore openings,

place suitable 'plates or' disks which can be described in theaccompanyingspecification and then nally embodied inftheclauses ci theclainnfwhichI formapart of this specification. 'f

The invention isclearly illustrat'edi'nfthe l Figure 'l isa top orplanview of an outlet-v box 'made-*according to my'present invention;

and'Fig. 2 is a side view of the'same, the'form" of boxillustra'ted'being composed of an upper and lower section.

Fig. 3 is a plan vienr ofv the lower section of the boxgillustrating i'the general arrangement of the closing plates or disks secured inplace'ov'er'the openings in the bottom and sides of said box-section..Fig'. 4 is a vertical section of the lower box-section,

takenon line 4 4 in said Fig. 3, and a verti` cal section of the upperbox-section, said section being taken centrally across said upperbox-section. Fig. 6 isa plan ortop'view of the lower box-sectionrepresented in said Fig. 3,

showing the same with twoof the closing disks 'or plates broken out toprovidefthe openings represented in said figure; and Fig.' 5 is asectional view of the lower and upper box-secbox-section insteaclof thelower box-section,

Fig. 9 is a veras illustrated in Figse and 5. tical section of stillanother form of outletbox in which thebox is cast inA one piece, saidView 'representing one manner of arranging theclosing disks or platesin'depressions in the sand core, so as to cast them. in their Fig. 7 isa IOO closing positions against the bottom and sides. l

of the box during the casting operation. Figs. 10 and 11 are a plan Viewand a bottom view, respectively, of apair of patterns employed in theprocess of casting the lower and upper box-sections of the outlet-boxillustrated in said Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive; and Fig. 12 is a sectionalview of these two patterns on an enlarged scale, the sectionalrepresentation of the lower half of said figure being taken 4on line 1212 in Fig. 10 and the sectional representation of the upper half of saidFig. 12 being taken centrally across the representationv vof the patternillustrated in Fig. 1l.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the saidabove-described views to indi cate corresponding parts. l

-In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, A indicates the complete outlet-box, whichcomprises a lower box-section A' and an upper box-section A2, the twosections being capable of being placed one upon the other in the mannerillustrated-in Figs. 2, 4, and 5 and being secured together by meansofscrews b or in any other suitable manner. The said lower box-section Aconsists, essentially,-

face of said bottom or base, contiguous to the edge of the said openingsa4, are suitable projections da.. Each projectionA a5 isl pro- A videdwith a holding portion which eitends over the marginal edge orcircumference of asuitable disk or plate c. In this manner each hole oropening a4 is closed by means of a disk or plate c, theY same being heldin' place by the. holding portions a5, and vsaid disk or platepractically forming an integral part of the s aid 'bottom or base bybeing placed in the pattern previous tothe casting operation and beingsecured in position in the manner to be hereinafter fully set forth.Each side a of the lower box-section A' is providedwithsuitably-disposed seinicircular openings a6, the said upper box-sectionA2 being provided with correspondingly-placed selnicircular openings d".which when the two box-sections A' and .A2 are placed upon each otherand are secured together by means of the screws b register with oneanother, and therebyproduce the complete circular openings or holesrepresented in the iigures of the drawings. As illustrated in Figs. 3,et, 5, and 6, the said lower box-section A is provided on its innersurface and contiguous with the said semicircular openings a withupwardly-extending ribs as, which are provided with the grooved parts agand form guides or holding portions for embracing ed gesof certainmetallic disks or plates c', substantially as illustrated. In thismanner these disks or plates c'f close the said openings orholes formedby the seinicircular in the pattern previous to ,the casting operationand then being secured in position in the manner to be presentlydescribed.' It will be clearly evident that the sides of the outlet-box,as well as its bottom or base, maybe provided with any desirable numberof such openings a? closed by the disks or plates c' and the openings'0,4 closed by the disks or plates c. The upper box-section A2 isprovided with the usual flanged opening anfof suiicient diameter toallow the electric wires to be conveniently drawn out through the said upper box-section or cover A2. The electric conduits employed Vto coverAthe electricwires in buildings are to be passed through any one or moreof the openings in the sides or bottomv of the outlet-box A. From aninspection of Figs. 5 and 6 it will be seen that vany one of the disksor plates c or c' can be readily removed by the workman at the desiredpoint or points where the conduit or conduits contain-ing 'the electricwires are to be inserted and admitted into the 'box A by striking thedisk or plate on its outer surface ablow with a hammer o r other tool,and thereby breaking away the holding -lugs or the parts a5 on the basea when a disk or plate c is to be removed or by breaking away portionsof the ribs a8 and the lugs or studs al when a disk or platee' is to beremoved` Thus it will beobvions that any one or more of the disks orplates c and c canbe broken or' forced out from its closing positionover the opening in the base or side of the outlet-box for the properadmission of the electric conduit or conduits into the box. 'I

Having now described the general construction of the form of outlet-boxrepresented in said Figs. l to 6, inclusive, I will now describe themanner of using the patterns illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12, inclusive,in connection with the disks or plates c and c' for casting theboxsections and for uniting during the casting operation the said disksor plates c and c to, the cast-iron base and sides of-the lowerboxsection A'. The pattern employed in the casting of the said-lowerbox-section A' is represented more especially in Fig. 10,and consists,essentially, ofa bottom or base d and the sides d. The said bottom isformed with the raised portions d2 and the depressions or recesses d3directly beneath Isaid raised portions and also with the raisedprojections orllugs d4 and d5,

. all of which produce in the cast made from said pattern the Severalparts @4; a?, and 0,10 m va'ndupon the base 0r bot-tom a, which is castinthe impression in thesand made by said patternafter itis withdrawnfrom4 the mold. The said pattern d is also provided Vwith thesemic'ir'culftl Openings ol'and grooved ribs d?, all of which producethe`4 correspondingparts a6 .and a8, in tl1e lower boxYsection A duringthe process o f casting.

upper bex-section A2 is indicated by the reference-letter d, and it isprovided with the semicircular openings d? in-its sides and the iangedopening d10 for producing the corre spending parts in the said upperbox-'section A2, as will be clearlyfunderstood.. The manner of arrangingthe several. metallic vdisks or plates in the mold fel-med by the saidpatternsis clear from an inspection of saidFg. l2, and when the moltenmetal is poured into the mold and cools then'the several disks or platesc and c' willbeheld in their respective positions above the respectiveopenings in the base and sides o f the box-section.,with the 'severalportions a5, a9, andaw embracing por- -tionsof the circumferential edgesof the saidI disks or plates, substantially in the manner illustrated inFigs. 1 to 6 ofthe drawings and as vhereinabove'described. l

ln-lieu of providing the lower box-section,

A withthe holding-ribs and the holding-lugs d10 the inner surfaces ofthe sides of the upper box-section'A2 may be provided with similarly-constructed holding-ribs cl2 and hold-l ing projectionsy (1,13 forretaining the disks or plates c' imposition, as clearly illustrated inFig. 8 of the drawings.

When the outlet-box is made in onepiece,

' as indicated in Fig. 9,- then the disks or plates cand c' are laiddirectly in the coree, as shoivn in said figure, and when themoltenmetal is poured into the moldthen said disks or plates will be castdirectly tothe inner surfaces-of the outletbox over the openings formedtherein, from which said disks or plates can be broken away when desiredin the manner hereinabovedescribed to produce a circular hole or holesinthe bottom or sides of the box having a perfect edge which needs nofiling away of bers or rough portions.

The herein -described outlet box can. be

readily secured in position'in the side Walls,

the ceiling, or in any portion of the building,

' and any one or more of the closing disks or plates of anyconfiguration can b e readily broken away from their closing positionsin the box for the admission into the box of the coudnit orcondnitseentaining the electric wires at the desired points. r

I am aware that changes may be made in the various arrangements -andcombinations of the "parts as well as in ..he manner' of detachablyV'ecuring the closing disk or disks or plates in position over theopening or openings in the bottom and sides of the box With- The pat--tern employed in the processof casting the invention. Hence I do notlimit my invenf tion to the exact arrangements and combinations of Vtheparts as described'. in the 'accompanying specification andasillust'rated in the drawings thereof; nor 'dol conne inysejlf to theexact detailsof the construction of thefvariousparts of-the'box nortothe ex- Vout departing from the scope of my present act shape andconguratio-nof either the lower or the upper box-sections. l HavingVthus described my'invention, what I claiilnfisf', .f

1. Anfout-letsbexfor electric wires or other fixtures'thebox having oneor more openings,

and aseparate disk ordisks or plates overs-aid l opening or openings,cast inpo'sition over the opening or openings and forming an integralportion of the box, said disk or disks or plates capable of bein gbrokenaway to form an opening or openings'in the box, substantially. as

and for the purposes set forth. A

2. Au outlet-box for 4electric wires or other fixtures, the box havingone or more openings,

and-a separate diskordisks or plates over said 'opening or openings,cast in position over' the opening orropenings audforming an integralportion of the box, and lugs or hoidingportions castintegral withfthebox having parts thereof cast over the peripheral edges of saidv diskorvdisks ork plates, said lugs or holding' portions and-said disk or disksor plates capablefof being broken away to forman open'- ing or openingsin the box, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 3. Anontletlbox for electric Wiresor other fixtures, the box having one ormore openings in its bottom or base, a separate disk ordisks or platesover said openingor-openings, cast in 'position over the openingv o ropenings-in said base or bottoni, and said box having one or moreopenings in its sides, ja-nd a'separate disk oi disks or plates oversaid opening'or openings in the sides of' the box, cast in position oversaid openingor openings, saiddisk or disks or plates in either thebottom or sides of the box capableof being broken away to forman openingor openings, substantially as and-fonthepurposes set forth.V

et., An outlet-box for electric wires o r other fixtures, `the boxhaving one or more openings in its bottom or base,a separate disk ordisks or plates over said opening or openings; cast in position over theopening or openings in said base or bottom, andlugs or holding portionsIZO cast integral with said base or bottom having edges of said disk ordisks'or plates, said ribs and said disk or disks or'plates capable ofbeing broken away to form al1-opening or ,openings in the side of the'box, substantiallyr as and for the purposes set forth.

5. An outlet-box for electric 'wires or other fixtures, consisting,essentially, of a lower and an upper box-section, and means forsecuringsaid Abox-sections together, semicircular open? ings in said lowerboxQsection, semicircular lopenings in said upper box-section, saidopenings in the upper box-section registering with the openings in thelower box-section, -andi .Y separate disks or plates cast in positionover, said openings in the lower box-section, capa-- ble of being brokenaway -to form an openingf or openings, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth. I

6.- An outlet-box for electric wires or other fixtures, consisting,essentially, of a lower and an upper box-section, and means for securingsaid box-sections together, semicircular openings in said lowerbox-section, semicircular openings in said upper box-section, saidopen-v,

ings in the upper box-section registering with the openings in thelowerbox-section, sepa-V rate disks or `plates cast in position oversaid openings in the lower-b0X-section,and grooved ribs cast integralwith onevof said box-sections, having portions of said ribs cast over'the peripheral edges of said disks or plates,

said ribs and said disks or'plates capable of being broken away -to forman opening or openings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. An outlet-box for electric wires orother fixtures,comprising alowerand an upper boxe A said lower box-section having semicircularpositionover said openings in the sides of the -o lower box-section,said disks or plates capable of being broken away to form an ,opening oropenings in the said sides of the lower and upper 4box-sections,substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v

, 8. An outletbox for electric wires or'o'ther lixtures; comprising alowerand an upper boxseotion, and means for securing said box-secv tionstogether, said lower box-section consisting, essentially, ofa base orbottom a', having one or more openings, a separate diskor disk-s orplates oversaid opening oropenngs, cast in position over said opening or openings, and holding lugs or projections a5 o'n said bottom or basehaving portions of said llugs cast over the edges of said disk or disksor plates, said lugs and said disk or disks or plates capableA of beingbroken away, and sides a" to said lower box-section having semicircularopenings, the upper box-section being provided with semicircularopenings registering with, the semicircular openings in the sides ofsaid lower box-section, separate disks or plates castin position 'oversaid openings inthe sides of the lower box-section, and grooved ribscast integral with one of said box-sections, having portions of saidribs cast overthe edges of said disks or plates, said ribs and disks orplates capable of "being broken away to form an opening or open-ings inthe side or sides of the outlet-box, substantially asset forth.

. In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I havehereunto Set my hand this 25th dayof- October, 1900.

' JOHN FOUNTAIN, JR.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C; FRAENTZEL,

GEO. D. RICHARDS..

